Deputy government spokesman says there has been no policy change

BERLIN, January 5. /TASS/. The German government has dismissed a report by Der Spiegel magazine Berlin’s stance on the issue of Greece leaving the euro area has changed.

“There has been no policy change,” deputy government spokesman Georg Streiter said on Sunday.

Earlier in the day he voiced the hope Greece would go ahead with an austerity and reform policy even if the chief opposition party — Coalition of the Radical Left Forces (SYRZA) — emerged the winner in the forthcoming January 25 elections.

“Greece complied with its obligations in the past. The German government proceeds from the understanding that it will observe them further on,” Streiter said.

Der Spiegel quoted government sources as saying Chancellor Angela Merkel and Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble no longer ruled out the possibility crisis-stricken Greece might quit the euro area. According to the periodical, the German authorities regarded such an outcome almost inevitable if Athens after the parliamentary elections dropped the policy of austerity and public spending cuts. Some see the reason for this opinion in the fact that since the peak of the currency and financial crisis of 2012 the euro area has achieved tangible successes.